Kitchen Remodel Costs: A Handy Guide to Budget Kitchen Renovations

Essentially, “remodeling” is the term given when homeowners choose to change the structure of a room in their home. Kitchen remodeling is changing the base structure of your kitchen, meaning that adding cabinetry, combining the dining room and kitchen, and changing the flooring in your kitchen are all forms of remodeling. Remodeling differs from renovating and restoration in various ways. Renovating implies changes that swap old features for new ones, and restoration is the exact opposite of renovation- it’s the process that strips away the most recent changes and restores the room to its original state.

How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost?

Kitchen remodel costs can vary depending on what remodeling you’re doing and how much of it is to be done. Generally, the project costs of kitchen renovation range from $1,000 for minor remodeling to upwards of $19,000 for remodeling of the entire room.

When it comes to financially supporting a remodeling project, an average of 9% of American homeowners spend more than $100,000 and only 4% spend less than $5,000. Although any area of a kitchen can be remodeled, the most popular remodeling spaces include flooring, countertops, wall finishes, lighting fixtures, and cabinets.

How Do I Estimate My Kitchen Remodel Cost?

Now that you know the average cost of a kitchen remodel, it’s a wise idea to get an estimate of how much you will personally be spending on your remodeling project. To do this, you could sit down and find the average price of each individual change that you plan to make, taking into consideration both the material and installation costs.

To make things easier, however, you could use an online kitchen remodel cost estimator/calculator that creates remodeling estimates based on your ZIP code. By using a tool like this, you’ll get accurate estimates that have been based on the price averages in your area.

How Can I Budget For My Kitchen Remodeling?

Budgeting for a major project is never a bad idea. It keeps everything in order and cuts the chances of any unexpected costs. To budget for your kitchen remodel, here are a few things to consider and tips to follow.

Stick to Your Budget

It’s easy to choose a maximum amount and say that you’re going to stick to it. However, staying on budget is a lot harder than it sounds. For example, you have a $3,000 budget to spend on new cabinetry. You’re browsing through an online catalog or down the isles of your favorite store when you come across a set of cabinets that are both eye-catching and expensive- too expensive for your budget. If you start thinking about how beautiful the cabinets would look in your newly remodeled kitchen, you might be tempted to buy them despite going over your allotted budget.

Decide on Your Priorities

Once you have decided to remodel the kitchen, sit down and figure out your priorities. Would you rather install new cabinets or new countertops? You probably want to do both, but if you can only afford one, now is the time to decide which one should be prioritized. Don’t rush this process, as making the wrong decision can turn into a headache later on.

A good way to decide which area should be prioritized is by making a list of the reasons that you want to remodel the areas in question. Compare the lists after they are completed. Be sure to include the cost to replace kitchen cabinets and countertops as factors on your list, as it often comes down to price differences.

Come up with Plan B

If you decide on a specific set of tiles (or any other item) to install, come up with an alternative set that sits at a lower price point. This ensures that you have another option that you like in case you can’t afford to purchase or install your first choice.

This is a great strategy to use if you’re working with a budget builder, as they can alter your remodeling plans based on your first and second choices, settling on whichever will suit your budget the best.

Save Money Whenever Possible

Typical kitchen renovation costs can add up quickly, especially if more than one area of the kitchen is being altered. Save money on the kitchen remodel costs by leaving plumbing in its original location and by allowing the electric and gas ranges to stay put. Uprooting these areas can mean extra labor costs and additional alterations as the floor or parts of the walls may need to be removed and then replaced.

The cost to get new cabinets in the kitchen is one of the largest expenses- on average, 29% of kitchen remodeling costs is due to cabinetry. If you’re replacing or adding cabinetry, consider purchasing RTA (ready to assemble) units instead of custom units. Also try to avoid the temptation of buying cabinets that have special add-ons like drawer dividers and vertical spice racks, as these can increase the cost of your cabinet tremendously.

Do it Yourself

If you know how to remove carpet or old cabinets and have access to the tools and necessary materials for the job, why not do it yourself? Even if you don’t know how or are unable to install the replacements yourself, tearing out the old with your own two hands will cut down on the labor costs of your project.

A hundred dollars saved here or there might not seem like much, but in the grand scheme of things, it can make all the difference. Homeowners tend to realize this at the end of a project in the event of an unexpected cost or expense and the money saved by doing it yourself can be used to solve the problem.

Final Thoughts

Kitchen remodeling doesn’t have to be a daunting job, despite its many risks and heavy financial burden. It can be fun, easy, and rewarding so long as you create a budget and stick to it. Sticking to the budget can be made easier by prioritizing, coming up with plan B strategies, cutting costs, and doing small projects yourself. Be sure to take your time deciding on your budget and don’t plan to spend more than you can afford.

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[…] remodeling is a huge commitment which requires proper planning, patience and, of course, money. Whether you want to it yourself or hire a professional remodeler, you should proceed with caution. […]